Effect of microwave annealing on the performance of dye sensitized solar cell with Beta vulgaris as natural dye

Abstract

In this paper, a natural dye extracted from Beta vulgaris was used as photosensitizer for fabricating dye sensitized solar cells. The effect of conventional annealing and microwave annealing on the surface morphology of titanium dioxide layer and on the performance of dye sensitized solar cells were studied. The photovoltaic parameters: short circuit current (I_sc), maximum current (I_max), open circuit voltage (V_oc), maximum voltage (V_max), fill factor and efficiency (η) of dye sensitized solar cells are reported. The efficiency of conventionally annealed dye sensitized solar cells was found to be ∼1.20 and the efficiency of microwave annealed dye sensitized solar cells were about ∼0.29. However, a maximum voltage of 0.26 V was obtained in dye sensitized solar cells annealed under microwave radiation for 10 min.

Keywords:

• Dye sensitized solar cells
• natural dye extracts
• sensitization
• titanium dioxide